Posted on Monday, August 14, 2017

The ministry of youth affairs and sports along with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) on the eve of international youth day launched a youth volunteering report titled ‘Action research on state of youth volunteering In India’ – narratives of volunteers of the United Nations (UN) working across India, the impact on their lives and the impact their ideas had on the lives of the underprivileged in the remote areas of the country.

AK Dubey, secretary, youth affairs, ministry of youth affairs and sports, had also launched an online portal –‘india.onlinevolunteering.org ‘ – a platform to create talent hub of people all across the globe who want to bring about a change. Stating that India is the first country to have an extension to the international online portal of UN volunteers, Marina Walter, deputy country director, UNDP India, said: “We come across people who want to help, who want to participate but do not know how. The online platform can bridge that gap between the government, people in need, and those who want to become change agents. People with different talent can voice their concerns, can volunteer while sitting in the comfort of their homes.”

“The website is in its nascent stage, in later phases, training of talented youth via the site is a possibility. This could be a hub for the young workforce, especially in a country like India where 28% of the population is under 30, whose ideas can translate into action and form the future of how youth works,” she added.

Commenting on the report, Dubey said: “The documentation from various parts of the country, showcasing the efforts made by even one or two persons towards the betterment of society, shows that no idea or effort is insignificant.”